Palletizing package for stacked steering wheels and the like



Spt.9, 195s .BUDD 2,851,159

E FOR STACKED STEERING l 1...! PALLETIZING PACKAG WHE ELS AND THE LIKE v I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 16, 1956 Sept. 9, 1958 2,851,159

L. J. BUDD PALLETIZING PACKAGE FOR STACKED STEERING I WHEELS AND THE LIKE I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 16, 1956 Effg United States Patent PALLETIZING PACKAGE FOR STACKED STEER- ING WHEELS AND THE LIKE Application July 16, 1956, Serial No. 597,904 11 Claims. (Cl. 206-'65) This invention relates generally to a new and improved package or carton for carrying the articles in suspension therein.

Manufacturers, in the past, have had difliculty in pack aging and shipping steering wheels for an automobile and the like. The reason for the problem has been that steering wheels are odd-shaped, fragile articles, which are. relatively easily damaged if they are not properly handled. The present invention relates to a new type of fiber or paper-board carton, which may be economically manufactured and which is especially adapted to carry odd-shaped, fragile articles such as drop-center type of steering wheels in stacked suspension relative to one another.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and improved package for carrying odd-shaped, fragile articles in suspension.

Another object of this invention relates to a new and improved method of packaging steering wheels and the like.

Another object of this invention concerns itself with manufacturing a carton for carrying odd-shaped articles in suspension from a strip of paper-board material, or the like, with a minimum waste of material.

Yet another ob ect of this invention relates to provid-' ing a carton for carrying odd-shaped, fragile articles, which may be economically manufactured, at a low cost on a high production basis.

According to the general features of this invention, a shipping package has been provided for carrying a plurality of vertically stacked drop-center type of steering wheels in suspension relative to one another. The package includes super-imposed sections separated from one another by dividers, each having a central opening. Each of the sections has a series of connected sidewalls enclosing a central area, with at least two of the side walls being opopsed to one another. The opposed side walls each have a plurality of vertically spaced slits opposite one another and defining ledges, and each of the ledges includes spaced, notched portions defining notches with the steering wheels engageable on opposite sides in the notches of the opposed ledges to support and suspend these steering wheels in vertically stacked relation. The lowermost drop-center type of steering wheel in the super-imposed section has a portion extending through the central opening, thereby, utilizing as much of the carton space as is possible.

Another feature of this invention relates to manufacturing the carton from a single strip of material with a minimum of waste.

Still another feature of this invention relates to creasing the ledges to render them yieldable so as to be readily adaptable for receiving portions of the steering wheel in the suspension of the wheels by the carton or section.

Yet another feature of this invention relates to the provision of a package having the shape of a parallelogram and having nested therein a section having a six- .sided configuration.

Patented Sept. 9, 1958 "ice Other objects and features of the present invention will more fully become apparent in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets on drawings and illustrating therein a single embodiment'and within and which:

Figure 1 is aperspective view of my carton;

Figure 2 is a layout view of a pre-cut strip in readiness to be folded;

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure l with the cover removed and with only one of the uppermost ledges deflected over the steering wheel.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line IV-IV of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows: and

Figure 5 is a plan-view of the divider used in my package.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally my package which may be made from any suitable flexible material such as reinforced or corrugated fiber board, paperboard, and the like. The package 10 has nested therein super-imposed hollowed-out six-sided cartons or sections 11 and 12 separated by a divider 13. The sections 11 and 12 are adapted to be sandwiched between protective covers 14 and 15, which overlie imposed stacked sections 11 and 12. The package 10 may be held in assembly by means of steel bands or strips and the like; cover 15 in the present instance comprising a paper-board pallet having legs 16.

The package 10 is especially adapted to carry oddshaped articles in suspension, out of contact from one another to minimize damage to the same. More specifically, the package lends itself to carrying in stacked relation, one half or .full, semi-circular or circular, or square steering wheels, which may be of a drop-center type, and the like in suspension to'preclu-de contact and dam age to the steering wheels. The package 10 may be of any suitable shape although excellent results may be attained with the package having a square or rectangular configuration.

Each of the sections 11 and single strip of material indicated at 17 in Figure 2. The strip 17 may be formed in steel roll dyes and divided up into seven flaps, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. As is apparent from Figure 2, flaps 20 and 23 are of the same length as are flaps 19,21, 22 and 24. Overlapping flap 18 is of a reduced length. The width of all of the flaps 17-24 are the same.

In the formation of the strip, flaps 20 and 23 are each provided with a plurality of vertically spaced, longitudinally extending slits 25, the slits 25 in flap 19 lying in the same plane as the slits in the flap 22. By slitting the flaps 20 and 23, a plurality of vertically adjacent slit portions or ledges 26, are provided. Each of the ledges include spaced notched out portions 27 defining notches or sub-ledges 28." that the notches 28 may be readily portion 29 of the steering wheel at 30 and 31.

After the strip 18 has been creased and cut out in the manner aforesaid, the strip is then folded along scorelines 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37 with the flap 18 stapled or otherwise connected to the flap 24 in over lapping relation enclosing a central area.

To assemble the steering wheel 17 into the sections 11 and 12, the opposed ledges 26 on flaps 20 and 23 are deflected outwardly with handle portion 29 of the wheel engaged in the notches 28 of the ledge so exposed. The ledge 26 immediately above is then moved inwardly over the ledge immediately above. By starting with the lowermost ledges 26, and working upwardly with the successive ledges, the steering wheels 17 may be 12 a'reformed from a engaged with handle 17, they are creased and underlie the superin Figure 3, to overlie the wheel, while the other is still out of position.

In order to utilize as much space as possible in the cartons, the divider 13 is placed between the sections. The divider 13 has a central opening 38 through which drop-center portion 39a of the steering wheel 17 may extend into the carton immediately below. By utilizing the intermediate layer 13, many inches of carton space are utilized, which would otherwise be lost.

The rectangular covers 14 and 15 may be made in the same manner. In other words, a single flat strip may be cut out and provided with opposed longer and shorter flaps 39 and 40. Ends 41 39 may be folded over to overlap and stapled or otherwise secured therewith. Provided on the lower cover 15 at the four corners are the legs 16, which may be of any suitable construction, and which serve to convert the cover to a pallet.

While I have shown my sections 11 and 12 as each having five ledges 26, it will be appreciated that any suitable number of ledges may be employed. Also, while I have shown only two sections 11 and 12 disposed between the cover 14 and the pallet 15, any suitable number of sections may be super-imposed in stacked relationship.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A shipping ing wheels in vertically most drop center type imposed section having central opening.

2. A shipping package for carrying in suspension a plurality or vertically stacked drop 4 walls enclosing a central walls being opposed to one another and each having a gaged with the steering wheels.

4. A shipping package for carrying in suspension a plurality of notches defined by each of said notched portions on each of said ledges.

5; A shipping package to carry a plurality of drop center type of steering wheels, to maintain the {5. A paperboard shipping package for carrying a plurality of articles in suspension, said package including a section having connected side walls, vertically spaced slits in said side walls dividing said side walls into a plurality yieldable ledges, said yieldable ii. A paper board shipping package for carrying a plurality of articles in suspension, said package including a section having connected side walls, vertically spaced slits into a plurality said yieltlahle of the articles each article in overlying spaced relation to adjacent articles. said package having the shape of a parallelogram. and said ledges being dished inwardly suspended into engagement with the steering wheel.

10. The package of claim 6 further characterized by 11. The package of claim 6 further characterized by said ledges being connected to said package at their horizontally opposite ends and with said notches being disposed between said ledges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,099,142 Medley June 2, 1914 6 Knowlton Aug. 30, 1927 Eshleman July 16, 1929 Turnbull Aug. 10, 1937 Yarman Dec. 6, 1949 Budd Ian. 12, 1954 MacKenzie Nov. 15, 1955 Cortright Apr. 10, 1956 

